That evening, in Su Jiu's room.
"Hey! Old Su, Old Su, are you there?"
Su Jiu had just finished sharing the Holy Spirit Cult intelligence with Leng Yaozhu and had only been back a short while when Na'er showed up right on cue. The little girl seemed eager to give herself away.
Then Director Su would have to put on a Tang act.
"Na'er, what's up? Missed me?"
Na'er's face darkened at once. She promptly headbutted Su Jiu. Couldn't he see she was here to talk about something serious? All he knew was how to tease her.
Su Jiu grinned. The little thing was pretty strong.
"Made up your mind so quickly? Then I should remind you, Na'er: you've only got this one chance!"
"I've made up my mind. We're going to the most famous haunted house in Shrek City. This one right here! Na'er won't hear any objections!"
"Oh? Really?"
Director Su looked troubled, but to Na'er, it was obvious he was chickening out. She secretly gloated. So Old Su really was afraid of this!
"That's right, this one! Bu'er House! Quit dawdling, Old Su. Let's go!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a triumphant grin spread across Na'er's face, like she'd already popped the champagne. Without giving him a chance to object, she grabbed Su Jiu and took off toward the Leng Family's gate, her little legs pumping with excitement.
Na'er had never been to a haunted house, but A-Jiu had told her they were terrifying!
Today, the great Na'er would risk her life to keep Old Su company—and to throw him to the wolves. Hah, she was going all in!
Shrek City, Sea God Street, haunted house.
"Na'er, are, are we really going in there?"
Su Jiu deliberately let a noticeable tremble creep into his voice, and Na'er caught it at once.
The haunted house did look creepy and frightening, but seeing Old Su so scared sent an inexplicable rush of courage through Na'er.
It was just a haunted house. What was there to be afraid of?
She stepped forward and slapped Su Jiu's butt, then flashed a bratty, impish grin that was shamelessly asking for a scolding—and a lesson.
"Ooh, is the little fish Old Su scared? It's okay, it's okay. Great Na'er understands. Who knew a grown man like you would still be afraid of this? Tsk, tsk, tsk~"
Suddenly, Na'er felt someone take her hand. She looked up and saw that it was the little fish Old Su.
"Little fish Old Su, you don't have to cover it up in such a hurry. If you're scared, we don't have to go. Na'er understands..."
Su Jiu ignored Na'er and mocked her silently in his heart instead.
Little fish Na'er, try not to cry when you get scared in a minute.
The house was far too quiet, so quiet that Na'er could almost hear her own uneasy heartbeat.
The corridor stretched long and dim. Blurry old portraits hung on the walls, and the eyes of the people in them seemed alive. No matter where she went, she felt watched.
Thick cobwebs clung to the corners. Dust-covered old furniture sat piled up in the shadows, which overlapped upon one another, making it seem as if something was hiding in the dark.
A cold breeze swept through from time to time, carrying a mournful wail. The curtains drifted soundlessly...
"O-Old Su, if you're scared, just hold Na'er's hand tight. Na'er will protect you..."
"Ah!!!"
Su Jiu suddenly let out a scream, and the courage Na'er had just mustered vanished in an instant, like monkeys scattering when a tree fell.
Her hair stood on end. In a flash, she transformed into a Spine-Back Dragon and clung to Su Jiu's leg with both arms, trembling so hard she didn't dare even look up to see what had happened.
"Phew! Phew!"
"Good thing it was only a paper ball. That scared me to death~"
Su Jiu pretended to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice carrying a hint of relief at having survived a disaster.
Na'er completely blew her top. She charged at him and hammered his stomach with her tiny fists.
In the darkness, two tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes, shining conspicuously.
"Old Su!!!"
"How can you be so awful? That's too much!"
"Na-Na'er, l-look behind you. There's something nasty there!"
Su Jiu threw himself into the role, his voice trembling even harder. He shoved Na'er's small body in front of him and cowered behind her, shivering all over.
"Na'er, you said you'd protect me. You have to keep your word!"
"Huh?"
The next moment, Na'er found herself face-to-face with a little white ghost played by Su Jiu's Needle-Bee Sentry clone.
The little ghost suddenly lunged toward her with a ferocious roar, claws outstretched, as if it were about to pounce and bite her the very next second.
"Hiss-hah—!"
"Ah!!!"
=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)
Na'er froze for a moment. Her pupils instinctively narrowed to vertical slits, and sheer terror seized her. She couldn't help screaming at the top of her lungs.
Her innate survival instincts urged her to flee at all costs, but Su Jiu behind her had her trapped there, unable to move an inch.
With nowhere to run, tears instantly welled in her eyes, and she burst into loud sobs.
She was crying in desperation! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)
Behind her, Su Jiu was already grinning from ear to ear. You had to deal with bratty little fish like Na'er with the right medicine!
Heh heh heh~
Meanwhile, the Needle-Bee Sentry clone hidden in the shadows recorded the whole thing.
Suddenly, Na'er felt the restraint behind her disappear. In her panic, she darted into Su Jiu's arms at lightning speed, greedily drinking in the sense of safety she'd long been yearning for.
It seemed only here could she freely let her weakness and vulnerability show.
"Wuwu... wuwuwu..."
Little Silver Dragon wept so hard that tears, large and small, soon soaked Su Jiu's lapel. The little figure in his arms trembled incessantly. Only then did Su Jiu realize he'd probably gone too far. His grin gave way to a pang of sympathy.
He said nothing to comfort her. He simply crouched down quietly and held her.
The saying that women were made of water proved true for Na'er. She cried for nearly half an hour before her sobs finally began to subside.
"O-Old Su, can we go home? It's pitch-black in here, and Na'er is scared..."
"Sure. Since Na'er asked, I, Su, have to agree. But..."
"But what?"
"Little crybaby, you've been crying for so long. Are you hungry?"
"Grrr~"
A stomach growling at the worst possible moment echoed through the dark, silent haunted house. Embarrassed, Na'er buried her head in Su Jiu's arms once more.
"F-Fine, Old Su. Let's go get something to eat. You're paying..."
"Still trying to shake me down? But I don't mind letting you."
"Hehe~"
Under the bright lights of Sea God Street, the bustle of everyday life and the vendors' cries pushed all the earlier unpleasantness deep into the back of their minds.
A smile returned to Na'er's face, as innocent, carefree, and pure as ever, full of all the world's goodness.
"Old Su! Thank you!"
"Haha, no need to thank me. How about you repay me with yourself?"
"..."
"You don't have to answer me. I'll keep waiting, until the day you can say yes to me yourself, without a single reservation."
Na'er still said nothing. She only tightened her arms around Su Jiu's neck a little more.
"Old Su, thank you..."
That night.
"What, you're afraid to sleep alone? And you want me to sleep on the floor?"
"Na'er, listen to yourself. Does that sound like something a human would say?"
Na'er had already commandeered Su Jiu's bed. She clung stubbornly to the edge, and if Su Jiu came one step closer, she looked ready to hiss at him. Her little tiger fangs were bared, eager for a showdown with Old Su.
"I can't deal with you. Fine, then..."
"Ah!!!"
"You're the one who invited yourself."
Su Jiu scooped Na'er up, blankets and all, and held her in his arms like a body pillow. No matter how much she squirmed, she couldn't escape.
Na'er: Crap, I miscalculated. I actually gave myself away... (⩌⤚⩌
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